WEBVTT STAFF.WHITNEY: STUDENTS TOLD ME THEYTHEY SAID IT WAS THE ONLY PLACESTUDENTS, TEACHERS AND FACULTYSTUDENTS WERE TOLD TO LEAVE>> WHEN I GET BACK IN THERE I’M>> I'M A LITTLE BIT ANXIOUS BUTIT’S JUST GOING BACK TO THEWHITNEY: UNCERTAINLY FOLLOWEPARENTS DROPPED OFF THEIR>> POWERLESS.I'M FEELING POWERLESS TO DROP>> JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, NOBODYEVERY TIME I TELL PEOPLE I LIVEDWHITNEY: ON FEBRUARY 14, ATWO WEEKS LATER, STUDENTS>> DEFINITELY LOOKING AT THAT>> I THINK IT’S JUST HITTING USWHEN WE WENT BACK TO THAT SAWE HAVE TO START FROM ROCKAS YOU CAN SEE, CAP IS IS NOTDEPUTIES WILL BE OUT HERE FORTHEY WILL BE ARMED ON CAMPUSSCHOOL OFFICIALS SAY IT’SIT IS UNCLEAR THOUGH

Uncertainly followed students Marjory Stoneman DouglasHigh School Wednesday morning and as parents dropped off their children butanxiety remained.John Rodriguez said he planned to use humor to ease thetension, “When I get back in there I’m going to go to class, try to make peoplelaugh and have a conversation with everybody and make sure everybody is okay.”Classmate Jessie Vandereems admitted he was nervous to goback.“Im a little bit anxious but I don’t have to go back intothe freshman building so I’m alright,” said Vandereems before minutes beforefirst period. “it’s just going back to the classroom and not seeing some of thepeople who were there before.”Carla Garcia’s daughter is a student at Stoneman Douglasand two weeks ago the high school junior watched as 5 of her classmates wereshot. Garcia said one of those students died.“Powerless. I’m feeling powerless to drop her in thisenvironment,” said Garcia holding back tears. “With all of this I’m trying tohold myself together.”Despite parents and students initial apprehension Mathteacher Jim Gard said the first day back was “great.” Gard said almost all ofhis classes were full. “I may have had 5 kids absent all day.”The last time Gard and his students were together they hewas hiding them from a shooter armed with an assault rifle.Sophomore Henry Dryden remarked on how much had changedin just 14 days.“Two weeks ago nobody knew what Parkland was. Every timeI tell people I lived in Florida they never heard of Parkland,” said Dryden.“Now, the whole world knows this place.”On Valentines Day a former student walked onto theParkland, Florida campus with an assault rifle and shot 17 people to death,wounding more more than a dozen others. Wednesday students and teachersreturned to class for the first time since the mass shooting. School officialsurged students to leave their backpacks at home for the week in attempt tofocus on healing.Krista Weiss could not keep her eyes off of building 12,where freshman typically have class and where the shooting took place.“Definitely I was looking that building because I was inthe building and just seeing the windows boarded up, its like really terrible,”said Weiss.Tanzil Philip said his first day back brought up a mix ofemotions. While therapy dogs, goats, and horses that were bright in helped toease the stress, Philip said painful memories were unavoidable.“I think it’s just hitting us for the first time,” saidTanzil. “When we went back to that same classroom and we all went back into thecloset and sat in the same spot and a lot of people broke down but I thinkthat’s where we have to start. We have to start from rock bottom and build ourway up.”Classes will continue on a half day schedule through theend of the week.

PARKLAND, Fla. —

Uncertainly followed students Marjory Stoneman DouglasHigh School Wednesday morning and as parents dropped off their children butanxiety remained.

John Rodriguez said he planned to use humor to ease thetension, “When I get back in there I’m going to go to class, try to make peoplelaugh and have a conversation with everybody and make sure everybody is okay.”

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Classmate Jessie Vandereems admitted he was nervous to goback.

“Im a little bit anxious but I don’t have to go back intothe freshman building so I’m alright,” said Vandereems before minutes beforefirst period. “it’s just going back to the classroom and not seeing some of thepeople who were there before.”

Carla Garcia’s daughter is a student at Stoneman Douglasand two weeks ago the high school junior watched as 5 of her classmates wereshot. Garcia said one of those students died.

“Powerless. I’m feeling powerless to drop her in thisenvironment,” said Garcia holding back tears. “With all of this I’m trying tohold myself together.”

Despite parents and students initial apprehension Mathteacher Jim Gard said the first day back was “great.” Gard said almost all ofhis classes were full. “I may have had 5 kids absent all day.”

The last time Gard and his students were together they hewas hiding them from a shooter armed with an assault rifle.

Sophomore Henry Dryden remarked on how much had changedin just 14 days.

“Two weeks ago nobody knew what Parkland was. Every timeI tell people I lived in Florida they never heard of Parkland,” said Dryden.“Now, the whole world knows this place.”

On Valentines Day a former student walked onto theParkland, Florida campus with an assault rifle and shot 17 people to death,wounding more more than a dozen others. Wednesday students and teachersreturned to class for the first time since the mass shooting. School officialsurged students to leave their backpacks at home for the week in attempt tofocus on healing.

Krista Weiss could not keep her eyes off of building 12,where freshman typically have class and where the shooting took place.

“Definitely I was looking that building because I was inthe building and just seeing the windows boarded up, its like really terrible,”said Weiss.

Tanzil Philip said his first day back brought up a mix ofemotions. While therapy dogs, goats, and horses that were bright in helped toease the stress, Philip said painful memories were unavoidable.

“I think it’s just hitting us for the first time,” saidTanzil. “When we went back to that same classroom and we all went back into thecloset and sat in the same spot and a lot of people broke down but I thinkthat’s where we have to start. We have to start from rock bottom and build ourway up.”

Classes will continue on a half day schedule through theend of the week.